Combination stovepipe tall-fitting and closure



Feb. 18, 1947. w l s N 2,416,075

COMBINATION STOVE PIPE T-FIYT'IINGY AND CLOSURE Filed June 27, 1944Fig.5

Patented Feb. 18, 1947 f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATIONSTOVEPIPE T-FI'ITING AND CLOSURE Louis K. Weinstein, Bronx, N. Y.

Application June 27, 1944, Serial No. 542,407

3 Claims.

face preferably without necessitating any change a stove pipe or thelike, especially at the pocket adjacent to the cleanout plug or closure.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the typementioned having a projection or handle whereby the. curved surfaceportion is not only placed in proper position but also tensioned in anangular manner to aiford a relatively tight or a securely locked wall orclosure.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of theclass alluded to having improved means whereby an element is movablydisposed in a T-fitting to change it into an elbow fitting.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a device of the naturedescribed having improved means whereby the main curved wall portion ofan elbow is so arranged as to constitute a cleaning or scraping elementfor at least part of the element and the conduit therebeyond.

Another object of the invention is to construct a device of thecharacter described having improved means including a stream liningcurved element removably positioned at the inner angle or relativelysharp apex of an elbow to reduce eddying of the fluid therein and topermit unobstructed cleaning of the elbow when necessary; a supplementalobject is to associate such element with any closure, curved wall, orscraper element for a T-fitting whereby the elements may perform theirindividual functions without interference with each other, or wherebythe elements may conjointly function in stationaryor in moving conditionor both to thus realize their intended functions in a highly efiicientmanner.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention comprises the novelfeatures, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter describediii) 2 in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoinedclaims, and illustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts aredesignated by the same reference characters throughout the severalviews.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in vertical section showing a conduit orstove pipe embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation looking at of Fi 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a blank for the curved wall element of Fig. 1.

the left Fig. 4 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1, showing amodification according to the invention.

Fig. 5 is an end view of Fig. 4.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized whenall of its features and instrumentalities are combined but, usefulembodiments may be produced involving less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains, that the same may be incorporated in several differentconstructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merelyas showing a preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, ill denotes a device embodying theinvention. The same may be denoted a conduit, or an elbow or T-fitting,

the fitting ll having at least its vertical arm I2 and one of itshorizontal arms l3 sufiiciently elongated to form straight pipeportions, another of the horizontal arms l4 being a relatively short armwhich is provided for the closure. When used as a stove pipe, the arm I2is connected to a stove and the arm II to the flue. In theexemplification shown, the structure is made ofsheet metal, the arm l2being suitably joined into the horizontal section along a line l5.

I-Ieretofore, the branch M has been generally closed by a plug-likeremovable element to facilitate cleaning. In a stove pipe, therelatively sharp apex as at l6 and the pocket i'l afforded by the branchl4 constituted about the worst possible flow condition, producing agreat deal of eddying of the gases, and resulting in a settling out ofsoot which deposited in the pocket I! and in the branch It. It will beperceived that the stream of gases from branch i2 hurled itself at leastin part against the opposing top wall of the device I 0 producing manyeddy currents in different direc-.- tions, the effect of such eddiesbeing the same as though the dvice I!) were constricted at the elbow.,While means have been devised heretofore to facilitate cleaning of thedevice I I), no means to my knowledge has been discovered heretofore toget at the root of the difiiculty by reducing the eddy currents and thedeposit of soot, in order to place less dependence on cleaning which isoften overlooked or forgotten. To produce a properly curved sheet metalT-fitting is expensive, and even so the pocket as at H remained. By thepresent invention, a new and novel adjunct i8 is provided for theconduit, which is about as cheap and may be even cheaper than theordinary plug-like closure, while performing the several additionalfunctions herein described.

That adjunct comprises a curved wall I9, which may have a supportingfoot or extension 20, the wall being constructed of an ovoid blank suchas shown at El. This blank need not be concaved into dish shaped formbut may be. curved only about its shorter axis, to produce the wall I9tos-nugly fit in the conduit-at an angle of about i-idegrees, theextension 22- of the blank being out for bending on a straight line, orbeing bent on a curved line 23 as with a die, to produce the support 29.The latter assures that the wall is will not tend to drop into thebranch I2. Secured to th wall It as by being spot welded or rivetedthereto is a projection or handle 24 in the branch It, the handle havinga hand grip portion 25 1ocated above the bottom of the branch I i,whereby the element 24 is a cantilever weighted at its outer end to tendto tiltthe'wall if clockwise into tight engagement with the interiorsurfaceof theconduit. A more positive pressure for this purpose may beobtained by extending the portion 25 upward into contact with the topwall of the branch It, as at the portion 26, whereby the arm or handle24 exerts a definite pressure tending to turn thewall I9 clockwise tosnugly and frictionally engage the conduit wall. Since the interior ofthe conduit is under suction due to chimney draft, a slight leakage isimmaterial, yet with oil burners, for instance, a momentary pressureoccurs, due to the explosive burning of the fuel especially at theinstant of ignition, audit is not desirable that soot particles be blownout of the conduit. The frictional securement between the conduit orwall of the T-iitting at I9 and at 26will prevent longitudinal shiftingof the wall due to. momentary gaseous pressure. While the portion 26could be secured to a wall of the fitting as by a bolt or screw, inorder to provide a minimum of manipulation it is preferred to use merelya stopor indicator to limit insertion of the wall Isfor precise alineement with the branch 52. Thus a screw may be removably connected in theportion 26 with. its head adapted to abut an edge 23 of the conduit orbranch I4.

If desired the device I8 maybe used to clean the conduit or fitting atthe section I3. For this purpose the screw 27 may be removed, the handleripped at 25, and then the wall I9may be further inserted and rotated toscrape off and clean out soot. The wall It may be usedas a scoop tocollect soot, and hence may have a long slope, and maybe furtherelongated at its leading edge 23. r In Figs; 4 and is shown a modifieddevice 3f! according to the invention, the same being in all. respectslike-the device It except as described; Associated'with the wall 3I is acurved,

' its-inner angle orapex I6; hence the wall 3| hasa shorter radius ofcurvature than the wall. I9,

4. the center being at I 6. This portion 32 is curved at 33 intoregister with the adjacent wall of the branch I2, and slopes forward anddownward at 33 like a Venturi wall. The portion 32 may also be curvedabout the axis of branch I3, but sufiicinet benefit is obtained bymaking it like a chord as in Fig. 5. This portion 32 is rigidlyconnected to the wall 3! by any suitable means, positioned to effectlittle disturbance of the flowing gases, and it may consist in a rod 35,which, although centrally located, is quite thin. This rod may form anintegral extension of the handle 36, if desired, with spot welding atthe wall 3| and riveting or spot welding at the portion 32. Accordingly,the elements 3 I, 32 are slidable as a unit by manipulation of thehandle'36. Instead of the screw 27, a device like a wingnut 3'! may berotatably riveted to the handle portion 38 at 39. This nut or head 31may have an eccentric portion is rotatable intoa position as in Fig. 4to about an edge of branch I4, or into a position inv which it clearssaid edge so that the device 33 may be slid in and out withoutobstruction, to scrape out soot. As in the. device I9, the wall 3! maybe sufiiciently elongated at its leading edgeto form a scoop for thesoot. In tending to tilt the wall 3'! clockwise, the position of theelement 32 need not be affected because such tilting movement may beextremely small or quite insignificant. If preferred, both of themembers 35 and 36 may be resilient for effectuating their intendedpurposes and the edge 41 of the element 32 may be regarded as beveled tofacilitate its sliding past the edge It, or the latter may be beveledfor that purpose.

I claim:

1. A combination chimney elbow and closure including a T-fitting thethree branches of which are at right angles to each other, a sheet metalclosure wall member in one of two ali'ned branches confronting the thirdbranch, the wall member being suiiiciently thin so that its edge remotefrom the third branch constitutes a scraper, said wall member beinginclined to confront the third branch, said wall member having anormalposition in which it constitutes a deflector, said wall memberb-einglineally slidable along the fitting and rotatable to scrape cleanadjacent portions of the fitting, and a rod connected to the wall membergenerally centrally thereof and lying in the branch. containing the wallmember, said rod having a laterally bent portion constituting a handlefor moving the wall member, the handle having an end section slidablyengaging an inner surface of the fitting whereby the. wall member ismaintained in said inclined position.

2, A combination chimney elbow and closure,

accordingto claim .5. wherein a stop portion is mounted on said endsection. of the handle. for releasably engaging arr end of the branchcontaining the handle to. thus set the wall member in saidnormalposition.

3. A combination chimney elbow and closure including a T-fitting havinga main horizontal passage and a secondary vertical passage at rightangles thereto, a movable wall deflector and closure member in thehorizontal: passage disposed'in a branch of the fitting sloping toconfront the secondary passage to stream-line the. fitting, said wallmember being lineally slid.- able along the main passage past thesecondary passage to scrape clean the portion of the fitting into whichthe secondary passage discharges the furnace exhaust, said wall having;a handle portion sufficiently elongated for corresponding movement intothe main passage, and an eccentric element rotatably mounted on thehandle portion for movement to laterally engage and disengage the firstmentioned branch to respectively set the wall member in confrontingrelation to the secondary passage and to move with the handle portioninto the main passage as the wall member moves past the secondarypassage.

LOUIS K. WEINSTEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent: V

UNITED STATES PATENT Number Name Date 399,747 Edwards Mar. 19, 1889984,188 Brown Feb. 14, 1911 10 1,108,918 Lob Sept. 1, 1914 1,528,252House Mar. 3, 1925

